My new chapter in Debenhams

Hi everyone,

I hope you are all well and enjoyed the weekend. Last Tuesday I travelled up to Donegal for a few days and it was honestly so lovely to go back to home comforts. I completely forgot how nice it is to breathe in countryside air and not forgetting that there is no place like your own bed haha! My time at home couldn't have got any better when I was told I had been offered the position of Personal Shopper and Store Trainer for the Debenhams store in Galway. To say I was delighted would be an understatement.

My love of all things fashion started in the early days in secondary school. Every weekend I would spend my nights into the early hours piecing together different items to see what worked and what didn't. In hindsight I probably should have been studying or doing homework but hey ho! I spent all of my money on clothes, shoes and handbags and always looked forward to Saturdays when I would be able to wear what I bought.

When I was finishing up my first year in Uni, I started working in River Island. I had always heard that if you love what you do you won't ever work a day in your life and I discovered that it was very true. Some people thought I was bonkers but throughout my 3 years in NUI,  I travelled from Galway to Donegal every weekend to work in River Island and honestly, I wouldn't have had it any other way. When I left on a Sunday evening, I was already looking forward to the following weekend so that I could get back to my second home.

I was based in the fitting rooms quite a lot and it was from there that the idea of personal shopping/styling came into my head. I absolutely loved talking to customers finding out what it was they were out shopping for, helping them piece together different outfits for different occasions, encouraging them to step outside their comfort zone when it came to style, advising on what suits their shape/colouring etc and making sure they left the store with a newfound confidence. I didn't really know at that stage how I could turn this passion into a career and so I put it to the side until I had finished my degree. I was still getting to do something I loved every weekend whilst also building on my experience and I was happy enough with that!

When it came to my final year in college, I started looking into courses I could do in personal styling as I knew for sure at that stage that it was something I wanted to progress into. Again this time should have been spent studying but I still managed to get my degree haha! I left River Island to start a new position in DV8 as supervisor and then moved on to being their visual merchandiser which was a lot of fun as I styled all of the mannequins on the shop floor and window. It was really rewarding to walk past the store on my days off and see my ideas come to life.

After DV8, I set up The Fashion Chair and in January it will be 2 years old which is mad! I couldn't imagine life without it and will always be grateful for the opportunities it brings my way. I moved on to H&M and then to Harper and Ellie and Dal which is what brought me to Galway so Martina, thank you! It has been such a fun four months, I have learned a lot and I honestly don't know where the time has gone. A big part of my heart is and always will be in Galway and I certainly can't see myself leaving anytime soon :)

I wanted to include all of the background info as personal shopping / styling is an area I have been working towards since starting out in retail almost 5 years ago and I guess it is a very rewarding feeling to have reached this point. Next year I hope to launch my own personal styling business and your work fills such a large part of your life so I think it is important to really go after what you love. Easier said than done of course but what I have learned is that determination and passion will always see you through. I head to Blanchardstown for training within the next few weeks and I am very excited to learn from one of their top personal shoppers, Ann.

For any of you that might not know anything about the personal shopper service at Debenhams, it is completely FREE! There are a range of appointments available such as:

Express - This is a 45 minute slot and if you are looking for something to complete an outfit, perhaps you are short on time or are heading out that night then we can help!

Special occasions - If you are a mother of the bride, attending a wedding, ball, special event, or have a milestone birthday then this is the service for you!

Going on a trip - This appointment is ideal if you are heading away to a sunny/cold destination and you aren't sure on the essentials to pack.

Seasonal wardrobe update - What goes with what? Which capsule pieces should be in your wardrobe? How to transition from summer to winter and creating a wardrobe that can be taken from day to night.

Men's appointment - If you aren't a fan of shopping then the hard work is done for you!

As you can see there are a wide variety of appointments to choose from and I hope to meet some of you over the coming weeks! :) If you have a wedding coming up, want to prep for the party season or would love a complete overhaul then make sure to get in touch HERE or alternatively you can contact me via e-mail thefashionchair@gmail.com. What better way to spend a few hours than having the chats and shopping!

The second role I have is store trainer/recruitment coordinator and although it is very different in comparison to personal shopping, I am so excited to get stuck in. I will be training all of the new staff that start within the store and head to our flagship store on Henry Street on Wednesday for training myself which I am really looking forward to. If any of you were following me around September time last year you might remember that I completed a course in Training and Development and now it's time to put it into practice! :)

If you have made it this far in the post then I not only thank you but congratulate you! I am really excited to start my new roles and it's going to be an intense few months but I wouldn't have it any other way. If there is a goal you are working towards, keep going and don't give up. There were countless times when I wanted to throw in the towel and wondered if it would ever work out but remember that things can only get better and when you work hard, it will pay off in the long run. I hope you all have a great week and thank you for your continuous support.

Emma

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